October Newsletter
By Gilbert D. Martinez
Sixteen chapter members and guests gathered to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks bounce back in World Series Game 2 on Saturday to even the Fall Classic with the Texas Rangers.
Thanks to generous host Jim Baker, watch party revelers got to enjoy delicious snacks, pizza and desserts while discussing the finer points of the lopsided Diamondbacks win, the enjoyment (or not) of broadcasters Joe Davis and John Smoltz and opinions about the line between players celebrating a great play and those who go too far.
With the longer commercial breaks and little drama in Game 2, Ira Siegel brought a wide-ranging trivia quiz that got us thinking more about mid-century baseball and less about Diamondback Merrill Kelly’s masterful seven innings with nine strikeouts and one earned run. Much like Kelly silenced the Rangers’ offense in Game 2, Ira shut most of us down with his confounding trivia questions.
Host Jim Baker took top honors with 23 points, easily outdistancing second-place runner-up Tom Thayer (16) and third-place and fourth-place finishers Jerry Miller (15) and Ryan Pollack (13). Take your swing at Ira’s hodgepodge quiz below. The answers immediately follow the questions.
This was the 203rd consecutive month in which the chapter has met. Ryan Pollack also shared that his first Hornsby Chapter meeting was 10 years ago when he attended the World Series Watch Party at Jim’s house in 2013. For the record, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 that night. Ryan said he was a little nervous attending that first meeting since he didn’t know anyone else in the chapter but said he was glad he did. He thanked everyone for welcoming him to the chapter. We’re glad to have you, Ryan!
Predictatron Champions
Predictatron impresario Jim Baker announced the winners of the regular season and postseason prediction contests. Since the outcome of the World Series would not change the outcome, Jim announced that Raeanne Martinez won the regular season contest, her fourth title. Her final score of 742 outpaced contest runner-up Ryan Pollack (734) and Brian Rogers (733). As the highest scorers in their respective divisions, both Raeanne and Brian will have divisions named in their honor next season, while hard-luck runner-up Ryan gets nothing but a shake of the hand and a pat on the back. Jim noted that last year’s division winners – Gilbert Martinez and Chuck Kaufman – both finished last in their divisions, demonstrating the unpredictability of forecasting. The disappointing and underperforming seasons by the Padres, Mets and Yankees, among others, caused considerable damage to our predictions.
Jim also announced Frank Rechtorovic as the winner in the postseason Predictatron contest. This is most fitting as he was the only one to pick the Rangers to make the World Series. It’s also notable that not one of us foresaw the rise of the Diamondbacks. Jerry Miller shared that his postseason ballot has been filled with nothing but duds, incorrectly naming the winner in each series so far. For the record, he has the Rangers to win the World Series in five, which may suggest the exact opposite outcome. “Bet the house on the Snakes,” he recommended in an email to the list.
For their prognostication skills, both Raeanne and Frank will receive Predictatron trophies to adorn their homes for the upcoming year.
Baseball Reminiscence Update
In 2015, Hornsby Chapter volunteers led by Jim Kenton started SABR’s first baseball reminiscence program. Reminiscence, recalling pleasant memories of the past, has proven to be an effective way to improve the quality of life of those dealing with dementia, chronic health problems, isolation or loneliness. Since then, the number of programs using baseball as a reminiscence topic has grown both locally and nationally.
While the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted some of our programs and forced others to go online, we’re happy to report that all our local programs are now back in action and serving more participants than ever before. We currently have more than 50 attendees and care partners spread across programs in Kerrville (partnering with the VA Hospital there), Round Rock (at AGE of Central Texas, a licensed adult day care facility), Georgetown (working with volunteers from Sun City), and in Austin with some of our original participants.
Along the way, 15 Hornsby Chapter members, and several spouses, have volunteered to facilitate or assist with these programs. Everyone involved has found this to be a worthwhile and rewarding experience.
There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in this valuable community service program. In addition to plenty of baseball (of course), we also add music, video, history and other sports in order to invoke a broad range of pleasant memories from a diverse audience. If you’d consider volunteering, have an idea for a new program in your community, or just would like to learn more, please contact Monte Cely at cely@swbell.net.
Next month: Sunday, Nov. 12
We’ll gather in November to reflect on the 2023 season and the MLB awards at lunch on Sunday, Nov. 12. We haven’t yet decided on a location, but we’ll post an announcement on the email list and on the chapter website in early November.
Hornsby Trivia Contest – Hodgepodge
By Ira Siegel
There are 21 questions. Each answer is worth one point. A perfect score is 50 points. Good luck!
1—In 1956, when Mantle won the AL triple crown, who finished second in batting average? Home runs? RBI? Two are HOFers and one was involved in a famous at bat.
2—Also in 1956, who were the 3 pitchers who threw regular season no hitters? Two of them played for a NY team and the other, a two-time 20-game winning lefty in his final season, pitched all 10 years of his career with the same AL team.
3—In any order, name the 4 leading total home run players during the 1950s decade.
4—In any order, name the players with the top 5 home run totals during the 1970s.
5— Name the HOF first baseman who was the first player to hit 2 HRs in the same inning twice in his career.
6—In 1999, Fernando Tatis hit 2 grand slams in one inning, but who has the AL record for 7 RBI in one inning? It happened on the last day of the season and got him to exactly 30 HR and 100 RBI. He is not in the HOF and hit .358 (in his first full season) to win his only batting title.
7—Which was the only one of the 8 original AL teams that Eddie Robinson did not play for?
8—If Mazeroski did not homer to end the 1960 season, who was due to hit next?
9—During the 1960s, who was on the field for all 4 World Series games that his team won but did not have any official at bats?
10 – In 1966, when Frank Robinson won the AL triple crown, who finished second in batting average? Home runs? RBI? The man 2nd in batting hit only .307. (It wasn’t Kaline, who was 3rd at only .288.)
11—The 1973 Oakland A’s used 11 players at second base. Excluding Billy Conigliaro, Jay Johnstone, and Gene Tenace, name 4 of the other 8. Note that 4 of those 8 have a last name that starts with “m”.
12—Name 5 of the 9 players who were on all 3 of the SF Giants’ World Series-winning teams in 2010, 2012, and 2014.
13—Babe Ruth is the all-time leader with 8 runs scored titles. What current player is tied for 11th?
14—In any order, who are the top 5 active players in games played while also being on only one team in their career?
15—Jason Varitek set the record of catching 4 no hitters during his Red Sox-only 15-year career. Name the 4 pitchers.
16—Name the catcher who, in 2015, tied Varitek after he caught his 4th no hitter. This question is intended to help prevent any perfect scores.
17—Which team has won all 5 of its World Series titles in 7 games? Also, name the first 2 years.
18—Who hit the only walk-off inside-the-park grand slam? He is a deceased HOFer.
19—Name 3 of the 5 HOFers who played for only one manager, who was also a HOFer, in their career.
20—Name the only one of the 16 teams from the modern two-league era that never won more than 100 games in a season.
21—Who won the AL batting title without hitting any home runs? This happened between 1950 and 2000.
Tiebreakers:
The leaders in career world series at bats only includes two players who never played for the Yankees who are in the top 10.
#1—Who is 4th on the list?
#2—If needed—who is 9th?
ANSWERS
1—Ted Williams .345, Vic Wertz 32 HR, Al Kaline 128 RBI
2—Carl Erskine, Sal Maglie, Mel Parnell
3—Snider 326, Hodges 310, Mathews 299, Mantle 280
4—Stargell 296, Jackson 292, Bench 290, Bobby Bonds 280, Lee May 270
5—McCovey in 1977
6—Alex Rodriguez in 2009
7—Red Sox
8—Harvey Haddix, who pitched after Law, Face, & Friend
9—Ray Oyler in 1968, who walked in his only plate appearance
10—Oliva .307, Killebrew 39 HR, Killebrew 110 RBI (.281 was 5th)
11— Mike Andrews, Dick Green, Ted Kubiak, Angel Mangual, Gonzalo Marquez, Dal Maxvill, Rich McKinney, Manny Trillo
12—Jeremy Affeldt, Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain, Santiago Casilla, Tim Lincecum, Javier Lopez, Buster Posey, Sergio Romo, Pablo Sandoval
13—Trout (with Billy Hamilton, Lou Gehrig, & Pete Rose)
14—Votto (2,056), Altuve, B. Crawford, Blackmon, Trout
15—Nomo, Lowe, Buchholz, Lester
16—Carlos Ruiz
17—Pirates in 1909 (Tigers) & 1925 (Senators)…also, 1960, 1971, & 1979)
18—Clemente in 1956 vs Cubs’ Jim Brosnan
19—Drysdale & Koufax (Alston), Ross Youngs (McGraw), Harry Wright (player-mgr), Alston (Frisch)
20—White Sox only 100 in 1917
21—Rod Carew, .318 in 1972 (hit 92 HRs IN 19 years)
Tiebreakers:
#1—Frankie Frisch 4th
#2—Pee Wee Reese 9th
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